Black Box
by Winter Oak
Summary: Meeting my eyes, she whispered, "Keep this a secret, alright?" With a mysterious wink, the robot left the dying goldfish floundering on the beach. My Secret Santa gift to Durotos. Claire x Cliff
1. Computations

Chapter 1: Computations

* * *

"Oh, I'm… um… good," I managed to stutter while refraining from looking for a place to crawl under. Nonetheless, a polite smile still graced Claire's face, which unintentionally increased my desperation and embarrassment.

"If you have any questions about the town, feel free to ask me," Claire responded, kindly not commenting on me looking like I desperately wanted to bolt in the opposite direction.

"Uh… thank you."

After nodding politely at me, Claire turned to leave. I was only able breathe freely and look at the farmer after she was half a block away. Stuffing my hands into my pocket, I sighed. One day, she would get tired of the same old thing from me. Truly, it was only a matter of time before she realized that I wasn't worth her time.

"Hey! Watch out!"

Something slammed into my leg and I stumbled forward, barely preventing myself from kissing the ground.

"Shh! Don't move."

I turned my head to find two young children hiding behind me. It didn't take long to recall their names from the pile of introductions I underwent as a new resident; I had an easier time conversing with children.

"Turn your head back around or she'll notice," whispered Stu in the most authoritative voice he could muster. "And act casual. Please."

I rigidly turned my head away from the children. "Um… might I ask what you're doing?"

"We're spying on the robot."

"The new farmer," May supplied.

"Claire?" My gaze wondered back to her retreating figure.

"She doesn't eat, rest or ever use the washroom!" the boy exclaimed. His companion gently reminded him that they were spying so Stu lowered his voice. "She has to be a robot."

I scratched my cheek, wondering if I was ever that imaginative as a child.

"Uh huh, she doesn't do those things in her home or anywhere! We've been following her 24/7."

"May, you're using the word wrong."

My thought that their assumption was harmless was beginning to derail as the two children bickered. I turned to look at them to confirm that they were serious. Nope, they didn't look like they were joking.

"It means all the time, doesn't it?"

"Um… if you've confirmed that she is a robot, you don't need to spy on her anymore, do you?" I ventured, trying to steer them away from doing any more spying while refraining from demolishing their fantasy.

"No way! It's a real, live robot! We have to study it!" exclaimed Stu.

May nodded emphatically beside him, her pigtails bobbing. "The only one in town."

I breathed in deeply, trying to figure out how to proceed. It wasn't as if I was telling them Santa Claus didn't exist. "Maybe she eats and… um… uses the washroom after the two of you have gone home for the day?"

"No one can last all day without eating and using the washroom," Stu argued, stomping his foot.

I rubbed my chin. I had to admit that it was difficult not to do either for extended periods of time.

"Besides, there are other things," May said knowingly.

"… Other things?"

The two children grinned at each other before turning to look up at me with bright eyes. In unison, they chimed, "We'll show you."

 **Exhibit #1**

As I crouched outside the General Store, I wondered how I got roped into this. The doings of these children were not my responsibility. I could leave the teachings of what was right and wrong, and what was borderline stalker behavior to their guardians to explain.

On the other hand, there was a saying that it took a village to raise a child. And this town had kindly taken me in, so I was somewhat obligated to watch over these two.

I looked down at the two children as they pressed their ears against the wall of the building. Perhaps it was also because I wanted to make up for not being able to be there for another young child I had left behind.

"Hey, listen," Stu said, tugging on my tunic and pulling me out of my depressing thoughts.

I raised my head, directing my attention at the open window above our heads.

"I'll have 4 bags of tomato seeds, 6 bags of strawberry seeds, 5 bags of corn seeds, and 6 bags of onion seeds, please." Claire's voice was clear and firm. "The total is 4,100 G. Here you go."

I arched an eyebrow, impressed at her fast math.

"Every time she shops, she calculates the total amount of her purchase in her head," May explained, tapping her temple. "She has a calculator in there."

"She could be just very good at math," I ventured.

Stu planted his hands on his hips and huffed. "Okay, get ready for this one then."

 **Exhibit #2**

Stu grabbed my right hand while May tugged on left hand, leading me to the side of the store where we crouched in the shadows.

The bell above the general store door rang as Claire exited the building. Her footsteps sounded heavily against the cobblestone road. My hands began to sweat as the sound grew louder.

"Good morning, May. Good morning, Stu," Claire greeted kindly, appearing in front of the three of us. The children beside me yelped in surprise while I nearly toppled over from my crouched position.

I wiped the palm of my hands on my pants. _Please don't think I'm a stalker… Please don't think I'm a stalker._

Her gaze settled on me as I began to search for a hole to sink into. "It's nice to see you again, Cliff."

Perhaps I could dig my own hole. Face flushed, I mumbled a barely audible greeting in response. "H-hey."

"Gah, how did you find us?" Stu huffed.

Smiling her same affable smile, Claire responded, "There's a saying that women have eyes on the back of their head."

"Advanced robot sensors," May whispered into my ear.

"Surely, that… that isn't possible," I protested. Whether that protest was directed at myself or May, I wasn't sure. I shook my head. Claire probably knew that May and Stu had a habit of following her around.

Now that their cover was blown, May and Stu launched into stories of interesting things that happened since they last spoke, the embarrassing incident of being caught hiding in an alley easily forgotten. I gazed wistfully at the three. Would there be a day when I could talk to others with such lighthearted ease?

Catching me staring, Claire gave me a quick wink before returning her attention to the children.

 _Wait. What did that wink mean?_

 **Exhibit #3**

I awkwardly stood at the edge of the beach, taking in all the villagers gathered in the area for the Frisbee contest. Laughter and pieces of conversation reached my ear, making something clench in my chest. Despite the welcoming atmosphere, I felt like an outsider.

"Why don't you join me?"

I jolted, searching for the source of the voice. My eyes settled on the back of a familiar blonde farmer, who was patting the empty spot on the blue beach blanket beneath her.

"H-hello, Claire." I hesitated before I slowly approached the young woman and took a seat beside her, the desire to be polite overruling the sinking feeling that I didn't belong. I was still unable to look at her but being able to sit rigidly beside her was marked improvement.

 _Now if only I could say things other than "hello" and "I'm good"._ I rubbed the back of my neck. "So… you saw me with the eyes on the back of your head again, huh?"

Turning her head slightly to look at me, Claire grinned. "I can sense anything within a five-meter radius of my being."

I chuckled nervously. "Really?"

"Yup."

I wasn't quite sure how to respond to her seemingly serious answer so I just nodded.

We fell into a strange silence, which remained until the competition started and our attention was directed to the contest. Zack introduced the contestants and went through the contest rules – fairly standard fare.

Turning my head, I snuck a look at the farmer. Shiny blonde hair, soft clear skin, and crystal blue eyes –she looked too soft to be a robot. Although, she had proven herself to be far from soft. I've passed by her farm and could see that her daily routine was grueling. And yet, even after all that work, she made time to visit the townspeople, forage around the forest, explore the mines and who knows what else. Claire was a hardy woman.

And as much as I hated to admit it, I had never seen her eat -not that I was keeping an eye on her. However, it was difficult to shake the thought that May and Stu planted inside my head.

I dazedly snapped out of my thoughts when cheers erupted from the crowd as a local contestant stepped forward.

A Siberian Husky stood proudly beside the large woodsman, his snout pointed to the sky and tail up. It wasn't hard to conclude that they were going to be a formidable pair. The first throw was clean and powerful. The frisbee cut through the air and was caught by the husky beyond the sixty-meter marker. The second throw, on the other hand, wobbled unsteadily as it travelled and was caught by the dog at the forty-meter marker.

"And it seems that Gotz has taken the lead!" boomed Zack.

Enthusiastic cheers filled the air.

"But we have one more contestant. Vesta from Forget-Me-Not Valley! Please step up!"

The crowd clapped and cheered, although not as enthusiastically as they did for the local competitors.

A sturdy looking woman stepped forward with a healthy Bernese Mountain Dog matching her steps. While Gotz and his dog gave off a powerful feeling, the current pair made me think that the two had been partners for a very long time based on how in sync their movements were.

The crowd gasped as they watched the firm and powerful throw, holding their breath as the dog chased after it. Everyone seemed to exhale as one as the frisbee whizzed past the dog and smashed into the sand.

Chatter broke out amongst the crowd as the next attempt was prepared. The contents of the murmurs were easy to guess. The frisbee landed around the sixty-meter marker so Gotz's lead was at risk if the dog could catch the next frisbee.

Vesta's next throw was as clean as her first one. The Bernese kept up with the frisbee as he bounded down the beach. With a strong lunge, the object was caught between the large dog's jaws as he landed beyond the sixty-meter marker.

Tension filled the air and time slowed as Zack began to measure the exact distance for the final results.

"Who do you think won?" I asked, unable to help myself.

"Vesta. Her final measurement is 63.4 meters, which is 0.3 meters higher than Gotz's score of 63.1 meters," the farmer stated matter-of-factly.

I slowly turned to stare at Claire. "Um… how did you get that number?"

Claire raised her right hand and jabbed at the air above her. "I can see the distance travelled starting from the point the frisbee leaves each competitor's hand right here." Her expression was eerily serious.

"We have our new champion at 63.4 meters!" Zack announced to the dismay of the villagers hoping for a local winner. "Vesta from Forget-Me-Not Valley!"

"Well, that was a nice festival, wasn't it?" Claire commented casually, as if she hadn't just correctly stated the winning distance.

I gaped at Claire as she stood up and began to nonchalantly roll up her beach blanket.

"Could you please move aside?"

I numbly scrambled to my feet.

Claire finished rolling up the blanket and tucked it under her arm. Smiling at me, she observed, "You're starting to look like a dying goldfish."

I snapped my mouth shut then opened it again. I had to know. "Are you a robot?"

"Hm… am I really doing that bad a job of hiding it?" The blonde farmer tilted her head, looking like she was seriously contemplating the issue.

If it were possible, I'm sure my jaw would be touching the ground.

Meeting my eyes, she whispered, "Keep this a secret, alright?"

With a mysterious wink, the robot left the dying goldfish floundering on the beach.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Despite doing my research, I haven't actually played Friends of Mineral Town so please tell me if there is anything out of place.

With that out of the way... Happy New Year! Let's hope that 2017 turns out to be a wonderful year!


	2. Reprogramming

Chapter 2: Reprogramming

* * *

Claire being a robot wasn't completely inconceivable. In my travels, I had heard of and seen many things, from yetis to kappas. In comparison, the existence of humanoid robots was far easier to accept.

However, while mythical creatures like yetis and kappas were impressive, they did not plague my mind endlessly. Since the incident on the beach, I could not stop picturing Claire's contemplative expression as she asked if her disguise was lacking.

My fingers clenched around the paper bag in my hand, crinkling the pristine paper.

Yetis and kappas hid from humans, not walked straight into villages and became an essential part of the town. If Claire actually was a robot and didn't change her current behavior, she would eventually be found out by someone with malicious intentions and who knew what would happen to her afterwards.

I couldn't exactly pinpoint why I was so invested and concerned about the matter. Perhaps because she had always made an effort to speak to me and check on my wellbeing, never giving up on me despite all my flaws. Or perhaps the reason was more selfish -she was clueless and I was the only person in the position to help, creating value and reason in my being.

No matter the reason, even if I didn't have a complete understanding of the situation, I couldn't be passive about it. I didn't want to add another regret onto the pile that was haunting me –not when I could do something about it.

I took in a deep breath as I crossed the threshold to the farm and approached the farmer.

 **Lesson #1**

"Good morning, Cliff," Claire greeted, waving with one hand while watering chest-height corn stalks with her other. Placing the watering can on the ground, the farmer fully faced me with inquiring eyes. "Is everything okay?"

I nervously held up the paper bag. "I have to be honest… your human disguise is really bad. I think you can start improving it by eating... or pretending to eat."

My gaze was riveted to the paper bag in my hand, apprehension clawing at me. Obviously, robots didn't need to eat human food but I figured that a humanoid robot may have functions that allowed them to blend in with humans. Or maybe that wasn't the case and putting human food into her body wasn't recommended. Why didn't I consider this before coming all the way here?

"Thank you, Cliff." Claire gently accepted the paper bag, cradling it in one arm. Placing a hand on her hip, she surveyed the farm before turning to me with a smile. "It's almost lunch time. Would you like to join me for lunch? I would be very interested in learning about how to be more normal."

"Ah… sure…" I hadn't planned on staying; however, my goal was to help pass as a regular human, and merely dropping off a snack was not going to help much.

Claire led me to a flowering apple tree so we could sit under its branches to avoid the hot afternoon sun. A sweet and mildly floral scent hung in the air around the tree, the aroma more concentrated than I was used to because of the breezeless weather. Folding my legs as I sat onto the grass, I leaned back and breathed in deeply. While the farmer dug into the bag, I looked around the farm, admiring the rows of crops that stretched across the entire field in a perfect line which hinted at of the level of efficiency in which she ran the farm. It seemed that farming was a good occupation for robots.

"Here's your half."

I looked up to find Claire holding out a cluster of tantalizingly plump wild grapes.

"The grapes are for you," I protested.

"I'm not used to eating so much," Claire responded, not withdrawing her hand. Her voice and posture were relaxed, contrasting with the mischievous smile on her face, suggesting that she could wait all day.

"Thank you." I relented and accepted the offering. The grapes felt wet and cool as they rolled onto my palm. "So, you can eat?"

The blonde grinned and popped a grape into her mouth with relish. "Sure. Now that you've brought the topic of food up, I'll try to remember. I've got to keep up appearances, right?" Claire winked at me, causing me to stare at my lap in confusion.

"Uh… Do you know how to cook? I can bring you snacks from time to time, but you should learn to make your own meals as well..." I anxiously rolled a small grape between my fingers. I wished that I could do more but I was not in any position to give more at the moment.

"I don't know how to cook but learning shouldn't be hard if I follow a recipe. It's just measurements and steps, right?"

I smiled at her simple analysis of cooking. "Yes. Cooking shouldn't be a challenge for you." After all, robots basically functioned by following sets of instructions.

"Hm… but to be sure that I've got it right, could you taste test my cooking?"

I looked up at Claire, slightly taken aback. It was a logical request. I didn't know if robots had a sense of taste, and if they didn't, I could imagine that people would be very suspicious seeing Claire casually eating burnt up pieces of food.

Something in my heart warmed when I looked into the farmer's hopeful eyes. "Yeah, I can definitely do that."

 **Lesson #2**

As it turned out, robots were not good at cooking.

Sitting around the table in my room at the inn, Claire and I stared wordlessly at the omelet rice dish sitting innocently in front of me. The bright yellow omelet glistened beautifully under the room's lights. However, where I had cut into the omelet revealed what looked like regurgitated baby food folded under the egg.

I prodded the filling with my fork, finding the consistency to be like mashed potatoes. "What ingredients did you use?"

"Oil, onion, salt, pepper, rice, egg, and milk," Claire recited. The farmer looked at me with wide, expectant eyes. "Is there something wrong with it?"

I looked down at the dish, trying to figure out how the onion and rice ended up in its current state and how to word my response. "Usually, the filling is a little more… solid."

Claire deflated a little at my comment. Gazing at her lap, she dejectedly mumbled, "Technically, it is still a solid."

"Um, but I haven't tasted it yet. Perhaps this will be a new and improved omelet rice." I brought a piece to my mouth and slowly chewed. The lack of texture made the food more unappetizing than I expected and the onions and rice were indistinguishable in the mashed-up invention. With difficulty, I swallowed the food and bashfully looked over at Claire. "Ah… no, sorry, the filling doesn't work."

I rested the fork on top of the omelet rice, wondering how Claire had managed this when she was so precise at everything else. "Have you had omelet rice before?"

"No."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Might I ask how the rice and onions ended up on the verge of not being a solid?"

The farmer sighed, looking slightly annoyed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "It's the recipes… They are not specific enough. For instance, the instructions to "chop finely" does not define how fine. Does it mean powder-fine? Grain-sized fine?"

I politely turned my laughter into a poorly disguised cough. Forcing myself to look somber, I nodded. "I see the problem now."

"Same goes for the instructions to "break the rice into small pieces", "cook until soft", and… are you laughing at me?"

"No…" I answered, although my traitorous mouth couldn't stop smiling. Breathing in deeply, I considered the essence of the problem: things that were common sense to most people may not be understood by Claire. This was tricky as many of these things cannot be learned in a textbook but through experience growing up.

"You look like I just force fed you something inedible," Claire sighed, her hands clasped together as she stared down at her lap. "Is it the worst thing you've ever tried?"

I quickly shook my head, horrified and slightly embarrassed that I had given her that impression. "It's a good first attempt… Next time, the onions should be sliced into half inch pieces, just break up clumps of rice bigger than bite size, and cook the onions until they are translucent."

"Noted." Claire nodded grimly and pulled the dish to her side of the table.

Noticing her serious expression, I dug deep within me to find some words to comfort my companion. "Being able to cook well involves a lot of trial and error –even for those with a talent for… why are you eating that?"

Claire swallowed the mouthful of omelet rice and shrugged. "I don't like things going to waste."

Feeling a little green, I looked away.

The sound of metal against porcelain screeched against my ears as Claire stabbed the omelet rice. "I'm sorry. This was unacceptable."

"We can't be perfect at everything," I responded patiently, reverting to the persona I had used when I was explaining something to my younger sister, especially when she was upset overs something she couldn't control. A feeling of nostalgia crept up on me as I spoke. "This was your first attempt at cooking, and, as you mentioned, the instructions were a little vague."

The fork clinked against the plate as Claire set it down. "The instructions weren't wrong –the writer merely assumed that the reader had a certain, standard level of knowledge. I should have had that basic level of knowledge before proceeding and giving you that dish to try." Lowering her head, Claire mumbled, "I am inadequate, after all."

This conversation was heading down the route I didn't want it to go. "But now you have learned and know how to improve. We don't start off at perfection but work towards it."

"If you have knowledge or access to knowledge, why can one not start at perfection?" she questioned, her blue eyes boring into mine.

I met her gaze and held my ground. "I'm not saying you can't but there's nothing wrong if a person doesn't start off perfect."

She arched an eyebrow. "Why settle for less when you can be more?"

She was wrong. I wanted to change her viewpoint with every fiber of my body but couldn't convey my thoughts and feelings to her. Instead, it felt like I was repeating a slightly different variation of the same thing and getting nowhere. "It's not settling but… what I'm trying to say is that no one here will judge you harshly if you don't do things perfectly the first time… or the many times afterwards. You shouldn't consider yourself inadequate because of that either."

"But you would have preferred it if I had given you a perfectly made omelet rice today." Claire continued with the same unerring intensity in her eyes, as if she were detached from the issue and not discussing her own value.

"I would have enjoyed eating it," I admitted. "But I do not think any less of you because it was not perfect."

"You believed that I could cook well and my dish proved otherwise. I made multiple mistakes. Your evaluation of me should be reduced to reflect that."

"My opinion of you hasn't changed," I insisted sincerely. As Claire's line of thought on the matter sank in, I realized that perhaps what I believed in was illogical. I had never thought too hard on the topic but something in me led me to vehemently believe that what I spoke was true.

"Maybe, on a subconscious level, you…" The farmer trailed off when the inn room door opened abruptly, and Gray dragged himself into the room. The blacksmith didn't even look in their direction as he made a straight line towards his bed as he did most evenings after a long day at the forge.

Gray tossed his cap onto his bedside table and gracelessly dropped onto the mattress like a sack of potatoes. The bed squeaked from the sudden weight. His limbs hung limply from the edge of the bed as he let the day wash away.

If Claire needed more evidence, I knew where to get it.

"Hey, Gray," I called over to my roommate. "I can't cook."

Grumbling, the apprentice blacksmith rolled over, placed his arm over his forehead and answered, "I really don't care, Cliff."

I didn't know if Gray was referring to my statement or my inability to cook, but, either way, his answer supported what I was trying to tell Claire. The blonde seemed torn between disbelief and confusion, and I recognized it as the opening I needed.

"I respect your desire to be the best at everything you do, Claire. But I wouldn't mind trying more imperfect dishes. I wouldn't mind answering questions when you try new things you don't understand. People are imperfect and… it's acceptable."

I gazed down at my lap and tightly clasped my hands. It was a little sappy and didn't make logical sense but I hoped Claire was able to understand the main point.

"Cliff?"

I hesitatingly raised my head. I kept my gaze steadily on Claire's face as I spoke, "I made many mistakes when I was younger… some, which are irreversible. What do you think of me?"

I had made many mistakes. I was far from perfect. If I were to summarize all my actions, it could be said that I was a horrible, selfish person. It was easier to say to others that people made mistakes and that it didn't make you a failure, but it was harder to apply the idea to yourself even if you believed it to be true.

"I think you're a good person," the farmer answered without hesitation. Claire smiled as her eyes slowly lit up. "You bring me snacks, try my imperfect cooking and open my eyes to different things." Meeting my eyes, Claire slowly exhaled. "Maybe you're right. Our mistakes should not define who we are."

It was surprising to hear that someone thought so highly of me. However, the blonde only knew the person I was currently. The person who had stumbled and gone horribly wrong on the path to bettering himself was in the past… and somehow, the past seemed further away today.

I smiled although I felt bittersweet. "That's rather illogical, isn't it? Did I break our resident robot?"

"N-no!" Claire stuttered. The blonde raked a hand through her hair, creating a bird's nest in its wake. "This does not compute. Now I have to run a system scan when I go home!"

 **Lesson #3**

"I think you broke her," Gray commented as he watched Claire walk into another light pole. The blonde bowed, apologizing to the inanimate object, before turning around to continue along the path.

Tearing my gaze away from Claire, I turned to my roommate with an arched eyebrow as we stepped out from under the inn's awning. The rising sun shone brightly in the sky, its glare momentarily filling my vision. Raising a hand to block the sunlight, I murmured, "I don't see the connection."

Gray crossed his arms over his chest. "Aren't you the one who encouraged her to take up cooking? She's already farming, foraging and mining all day, every day."

"That…" My steps faltered as we neared Claire. Dried mud covered parts of her outfit, her usually sleek and shiny hair was tangled, and her footsteps dragged against the ground. I didn't think it was possible but Claire looked like her full schedule was finally catching up to her.

After shooting me a stern look, Gray nodded to the farmer in greeting before continuing his way to work.

"Oh… was that Gray?" Belatedly, Claire spun around to greet the blacksmith in training but found that the young man was already gone.

Concern and guilt bubbled up in my chest. "Are you alright?"

Claire stared dazedly down the block for another moment before turning to me with a nod. "Good morning, Cliff. It's good that I've run into you; I have another dish for you to try." Pulling her backpack over her shoulder, Claire started digging for the lunch box.

The concern increased as I noted that she did not answer my question.

"It should be in here somewhere." Claire frowned as she shifted items aside, looking as if she were tempted to empty the entire bag on the street.

Despite Claire's apparent disinterest in the topic, I couldn't let it go.

"I've been thinking… your initial attempts at new dishes have improved a lot." Despite her troubles with cooking, Claire was very consistent. With each adjustment made, the elements that were correct were completely unchanged. I had no doubt that once Claire mastered the basics, she would be able to make even the most complex dishes with consistently good results. "And, at this point, you know enough recipes to get by."

The blonde paused in her search, turning to me with furrowed brows. "Are you saying you don't want to try my dishes anymore?"

I rubbed my neck as the conversation took an unexpected turn. Did I make an incorrect assumption? Did robots even get tired? "I'm saying that you look tired. I know your schedule is always filled and trying new recipes is time consuming."

The distress in my companion's eyes did not dissipate. Taking a step forward, I placed my hands on her shoulders and leaned down until we were eyelevel. "Do not misunderstand. This is not because I'm tired of trying dishes with minor flaws, or because I do not want to spend time with you."

Claire blinked and turned her head away. Trembling slightly, the young woman took a step back and stumbled, nearly falling onto the ground if I had not held on to her arm. I immediately stepped closer to the unsteady farmer, carefully looking her over. "Are you alright?" Something wasn't quite right but I didn't know what to do or how to help. I couldn't exactly take her to a doctor. Would a mechanic be appropriate?

"I'm fine." The blonde closed her eyes momentarily. When she opened them again, her stance was steady enough for me to loosen my grip on her arm. She maneuvered out of my reach. "Whatever that was, it was just momentary. Haha, you know how stuff sometimes malfunctions."

Claire knew her body better than I did so I could not argue. Nonetheless, my concern still lingered. "Let me walk you home."

"There are some upgrades I need to finish so I was planning on heading to the mines. Then I was going to visit the forest." Claire must have noticed that I was not on board with the idea. Squaring her shoulders and tipping her head upwards, the blonde stated, "I have everything planned out weeks in advanced so if I don't go this afternoon, then I'll have to reschedule everything. I'm really feeling fine."

"Claire… usually things malfunction for a reason," I reasoned, resisting the urge to step closer to the unusually skittish blonde. "If you ignore the problem, then there will be even more delays in your schedule if the problem grows worse."

The farmer folded her arms across her chest, her lips set into a stubborn frown.

"The world won't end if the farm is not progressing at the pace you original planned." Having to redo her schedule was not the main problem –I already knew that Claire was not hard programmed to follow a set of steps unconditionally.

The blonde pressed her lips together.

Her reaction wasn't promising so I tried another angle. "The townspeople are also starting to notice that you're working over 12 hours a day every day –you don't want to encourage any rumors that you're a robot. You can afford to take some breaks."

At last, Claire breathed in deeply and flatly said, "Noted."

I felt my shoulders slump at her hard tone. "Won't you comply with my request?"

"I'm going to assume that you won't leave me alone if I don't comply." Adjusting the straps on her backpack, Claire gestured for me to follow as she started heading back in the direction of the farm.

I was momentarily frozen in place as I processed her unexpected words in contrast to her conduct. There was definitely something amiss with Claire's behavior today. My long strides quickly closed the distance between us and I settled in to an easy pace beside Claire once I had caught up.

Her blue eyes flickered in my direction for a brief moment before focusing again on the road ahead. "Why do you care so much anyway?"

The question came out of the blue but I knew what she meant –I had pondered over the same question many times but recently, I found that the question didn't matter anymore. "I could ask you the same."

Claire took longer to answer the question. "Anything I've done for you was common courtesy. You... have done far more for me than necessary."

I shook my head. "I've been to many places and have met many people… Not many went out of their way to speak to me every day or waited for me to open up like you have. You undervalue yourself." There was more that I wanted to say but I couldn't find the words. Claire had done more for me than she realized. Perhaps they were minor in her opinion, but to me, it was a spark that broke the bleakness that followed me for far too long. "I don't think I've said this before… but thank you."

Claire's steady footsteps faltered. "I see… It's no problem."

We stopped as we approached the entrance of the farm. Claire placed a hand lightly on the fence as she turned to face me. "You undervalue yourself as well, Cliff. You've helped me a lot… so thank you."

"Ah… you're welcome." I shifted my weight awkwardly. It was difficult to accept those words. I broke out of my stupor when Claire firmly placed her hands on my shoulders and pulled me down so that we were eyelevel.

Her blue eyes shone brightly as the blonde said, "I believe in you so have some more faith in yourself." Smiling, Claire let go of my shoulders and stepped back. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I watched Claire disappear inside the farmhouse, the scent of apple blossoms and earth, along with the warm touch on my shoulder, lingering behind.


	3. Reboot

**Chapter 3: Reboot**

* * *

Summer passed like a fleeting dream –as it had the tendency to do— and autumn rolled in gradually. The chilly autumn rain brought with it a melancholy atmosphere, quieting the songbirds and dragging yellowing leaves to the ground. Some would say that it was the perfect time to reflect; however, the heavy pitter-patter seemed to empty my mind of my usual thoughts.

Or perhaps it was because my thoughts have been lighter lately that I've been able to relax and not think so much.

I quietly watched streams of water fall over the inn's eaves from my sheltered position atop a barrel pushed against the front wall. A few stray droplets grazed against my skin and clothes, serving as a whispered reminder of the cool afternoon.

"You're going to catch a cold if you stay out here any longer."

I turned my head slightly to find Ann sticking her head out of the entrance way. Warm light spilled out behind her onto the dark muddy ground. Amusingly, the glow did nothing to soften her disproving frown.

"I'm just enjoying the quiet… It's not that cold."

A boisterous yell beckoned from inside the inn, causing the redhead to turn her head over her shoulder to check on the dining area. With a quick look in my direction, the young woman sternly instructed, "Come back inside soon, alright?"

I smiled and nodded in her direction. Although her words were demanding, I felt warm inside.

Like the bricks to a castle, it felt like I was slowly building my life back up from where it crumbled. This time, I knew to make sure to value every single brick. It was a slow process. Some days, it seemed that I had nothing and nobody but over time, I was proved wrong again and again. Perhaps there will be a day when my thoughts won't stray there again.

And positioned at the foundation of this castle was the farmer who had unexpectedly contributed the most in turning my life around. Because of her, I now had a job, a semblance of self-worth, and looked forward to each coming day.

A sense of wonder overcame me whenever I thought about Claire. There were many people that offered their support to me and although she was a brilliant farmer, Claire's skills with people never stood out. However, Claire's personality was uniquely complementary to mine. Her words, actions and presence were steeped with a feeling of understanding and acceptance, allowing her to bait me out of my shell and tow me out of the darkness. Then, there was the special care that she seemed to show specifically towards me that warmed me when I was most vulnerable to my depressing thoughts.

At one point, I believed that it was impossible for me to be able to have meaningful relationships like everyone else no matter how hard others tried to help me or how hard I tried myself. It was just ironic that a robot would be the one to be successful in changing that.

Lately, I've found myself wondering more and more often: If only…

"Faster! Run!"

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the door bursting open as two children darted out of the inn. Small, nimble feet easily maneuvered a sharp turn, leading to two tiny, out of breath individuals taking refuge beside me in the shadow of the barrel.

The scenario inspired a feeling of déjà vu. Smiling, I kept my gaze on the slick cobblestone road in front of me and casually said, "Might I ask what you're doing?"

"We're… spying," Stu quietly answered, inhaling deeply. The sound of squelching mud and shuffling cloth could be heard as he and his companion caught their breaths settled into a more comfortable position.

I kept an ear open for any unusual sounds coming from within the inn as I replied, "Oh? The robot isn't in the inn."

"We're not worried about the robot today. It's the mad scientist."

The statement piqued my interest. I didn't hear any loud commotions over the usual low conversation from beyond the walls so it seemed that the two children did not inspire the newest occupant of the inn to give chase. I turned to look down at May and Stu and found two pairs of wide, innocent eyes blinking back at me.

I rubbed by neck and sighed. I wasn't sure how their new target would respond to being spied on, especially since scientists could be secretive. Regretfully, it seemed like I was going to have to burst their bubble again. "He seems like an ordinary scientist to me."

"Nuh-uh. He's a mad scientist. We overhead him muttering about how he was super close to finishing his grand experiment! Something the world has never seen before!"

"We really want to see what it is," May said excitedly.

"That sounds like he wants to keep his experiment a secret. You shouldn't spy on him," I reasoned.

"If that was the case, he wouldn't be muttering about it in the open!" Stu crossed his arms over his chest. Although his lips were pressed tightly together into a thin line, I noticed his shaky stance. May hovered timidly beside Stu but nodded encouragingly at his statement.

I held up my hands placatingly and backtracked, feeling like a villainous monster. Despite yielding, an uneasy feeling still tugged at me. "… Just keep your actions in mind, alright? And if he asks you to stop, you have to listen."

The two children grinned giddily. Their expressions caught me by surprise as I wasn't aware that my approval meant that much to them –they didn't require it to do what they wanted. I closed my eyes as I wondered when that had happened.

"He doesn't have robot sensors so we'll be fine," Stu proclaimed confidently. The child's expression quickly morphed into dismay as a thought struck him. "Ah! We should go home now!"

"We'll see you tomorrow at the festival," May said politely before running hurriedly after Stu.

I raised my hand in a dazed wave, still surprised to find that I had more people in this town that cared for me. It seemed that I wouldn't be leaving any time soon… and I didn't mind the thought. I took in a large breath, feeling refreshed as my lungs expanded. The air was beginning to smell like home.

* * *

I never understood the draw of gambling so I wasn't particularly interested in this festival, although, like all other festivals, it was a good opportunity to interact with the other villagers. Unfortunately, approaching others felt doubly difficult as compared to a normal day because individuals tended to stick close to their social group during festivals. After a short conversation with Ann and Doug, I ended up standing by myself at the side of the plaza, observing those around me.

I awkwardly rubbed the back of my neck. There were more productive things I could have done with my day. Admittedly, watching Claire win bet after bet was quite intriguing.

A quick survey around the plaza revealed that I was not the only one with eyes on Claire as the blonde stared thoughtfully at the Daily Racing Form. She had become renown in the village for being a statistical and mathematical genius. Considering that she had picked all the winning horses in the Spring Horse Race, the consensus seemed to be that there was no harm in waiting to see what her decision was.

"Cliff!"

I stumbled back a few steps as something slammed into my legs, nearly sending me into the hedge bushes lining the plaza. Gripping the ledge of the stone planter behind me, I steadied myself and gazed down at the breathless child.

Large panicked eyes met mine, alongside tiny hands which gripped anxiously at the fabric of my pants. "You have to take Claire and run now!"

"W-what?" I was confused but the fear in May's eyes quickly flooded me with panic. I clenched tightly onto my calm composure, years of experience dealing with my younger sister taking over. Crouching down, I gingerly held onto her shoulders. "What do you mean?"

"The mad scientist knows about Claire!" The words tumbled out of May's mouth, making my heart skip a beat. Her hands tugged and twisted the hem of her dress. "We were spying on the mad scientist and heard him saying that he wanted to take Claire apart for science!"

I held back an exclamation, briefly losing my composure. Were there any rules regarding taking apart robots? They weren't human but that didn't mean it was alright to do whatever you wanted to them. However, I knew that didn't matter to some people. Since discovering the farmer's secret, I had anticipated something like this happening eventually.

"We can't let that happen!" May cried. Her small form trembled but she looked determinedly at me, making me wonder where she drew her resolve from. "He's heading for the plaza right now with a strange machine. Stu and I are going to distract him but you have to get Claire out of here."

My concern immediately increased, along with the pounding of my heart. "That doesn't sound safe."

"There's no time!" May pushed urgently at my arm. "He doesn't know about us and we're good at making distractions. Just… please keep her safe."

I turned from May to Claire, harshly aware of my surroundings. The flat plaza provided a clear view of all its occupants, despite hosting most of the villagers today. With her bright blonde hair, Claire was easy to pick out. There wasn't enough time to come up with a different plan. The scientist had no intent on harming May or Stu, while Claire was in imminent danger.

"Don't do anything dangerous, alright?"

After getting a nod from May, I pushed off against the ground and ran towards Claire. The blonde's attention quickly shifted to me and her light expression evaporated.

"Claire, please come with me." My voice was low as I bent down to whisper into her ear.

The blonde frowned, looking reluctant but didn't resist when I took her hand and began leading her out the south entrance of the plaza at a brisk pace. The villagers' gazes followed us but we were not questioned or stopped.

"I was quite confident I would win that bet too," Claire sighed, regretfully looking over her shoulder once we walked behind the hedge bushes.

"I'm sorry…" A touch of guilt nagged at me but I understood what the priority was in this situation. "Stu and May brought to my attention that a guest at the inn may have malicious intentions towards you."

The blonde was silent as she processed the new information.

I kept my attention on the path ahead. If we proceeded straight ahead, we would end up at Claire's farm, which was too obvious if someone was hunting for the farmer. I turned left towards the direction of the forest, tugging a surprised Claire behind me.

Our steps slowed as shouts began arising from the direction of the plaza. I wondered what stunt Stu ad May had pulled to create such a commotion. The slight pull on my hand made me stop on the wooden bridge connecting the town to the forest. Towering trees stretched out before us, beckoning us to safety.

"It doesn't feel right leaving them behind," Claire said quietly.

Stu and May's stunts were harmless but the ruckus coming from the plaza was larger than expected. I turned back to look at the farmer and then in the direction of the plaza. She was right. "I'll go back and check on them but… What is that?"

The sound of thumping hooves rang through the air as a brown horse thundered wildly towards us.

"How…?" No, there wasn't time to figure out how this happened. With water on both sides and a stampeding horse on our tails, the only option was forward. I pulled Claire along the bridge. The thumping of my heart drowned everything but the sound of hooves against the ground, which grew louder as the distance between us and the horse shortened.

Suddenly, Claire slammed against my side, pushing me off the path. I braced myself but my breath was still knocked out of me as I slammed into the ground, sending dry grass scattering in the air. I laid in stunned silence, vaguely aware of the fading sound of hooves.

I coughed, clearing any dust and dirt out of my nose. I raised my head and breathed in deeply before pushing myself up off the ground. "Claire?"

I turned behind me and saw Claire lying on her side a few feet away.

"Claire!"

I scrambled over to her, wincing slightly as I bent over her still form. My hands hovered over her body, afraid that I might aggravate any unseen injuries if I moved her.

My gaze strayed to the cut along her cheek –probably a result of brushing against a twig when she fell. I hesitatingly reached down to wipe the ruby drop of blood seeping from the cut, smearing the liquid across her cheek. A shiver crawled up my spine. My gaze drifted down to the scraped palms of her hands, noting the varying depths of damage on the different layers of skin. Confusion struck me at first as I looked over the woman, followed by slow setting realization.

"Claire…"

"I'm okay…" Claire murmured, slowly opening an eye.

Relief crashed down on me like a giant wave. My vision blurred as my eyes began to sting with tears.

Following my gaze, Claire looked at the condition of her hands and groaned. "Now I'm going to have to order a new skin and some blood to restore this body."

I bit back a laugh. "I'm surprised you can joke at a time like this."

The blonde maneuvered herself into a sitting position and smiled brightly at me. "But your reactions are so amusing."

Her words made my heart swell for a variety of reasons. Laughing, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and drew her into a hug. The faint scent of cinnamon and apples warmed my heart. "I'm glad."

* * *

"We're really sorry," May repeated, gazing down at her lap.

"We didn't think releasing my toad collection would get a horse spooked," Stu said apologetically.

Knowing that their intentions were good and that their families had already lectured them, I smiled comfortingly. "Don't worry about it. I'm perfectly fine now."

Their gazes lingered on the bandages wrapped around my forearm so I moved my arms off the table and I tried to divert their attention. "I wonder what Claire and Daryl are talking about."

I gazed across the inn to where the scientist and farmer were engaged in deep conversation. I didn't know what they were discussing but the low hum of conversation in the inn was occasionally punctuated by excited taps as Daryl entered data into his laptop. They've been working for a while too –the ice in the near-empty drinks the two had ordered had long since melted.

"You're awfully worried about Claire," Stu noted. He pressed his fingertips together and grinned knowingly.

I felt my face heat up. "Well, I had thought Daryl was going to dissemble Claire so seeing them together puts me on edge… even though the original assumptions no longer apply."

"It doesn't look like the only reason."

I wasn't sure how to respond to being teased by a child. Ignoring the giggles coming from May, I downed my glass of water to cool the heat in my face. The round table that was large enough to comfortably seat a party of four suddenly felt too small. Placing the glass on the table, I sighed.

Over the past season, there were times when I had wished the farmer was human but had never thought much further than that. And yet, now that I knew Claire was a human, I didn't know what to do.

"Thanks for waiting."

Claire's voice drew me out of my thoughts. Looking up, I was surprised to see that she had finished her business with Daryl.

The blonde stretched her arms before taking the remaining seat beside me. "That was a long discussion."

"So how did the 'brain-picking' go?" Stu excitedly asked while sitting on the edge of his seat. Now that he knew that brain-picking did not involve the actual removal of a brain, he was eager to show off his new vocabulary.

"He heard about my success in the Spring Horse Race so he wanted to know the factors that I considered when picking out winners."

The excited smile on Stu's face was quickly replaced by a dismayed frown. "Huh? So he's trying to invent something for horse racing? That doesn't sound like a great invention." The young boy flopped back down into his seat. "He made it sound much grander."

Claire smiled. "Actually, he's trying to create a machine that collects statistics on animals and monitors their health. It could be groundbreaking for the industry if he succeeds."

May's and Stu's eyes lit up at the same time.

With a wide grin, Stu asked, "So you're saying he's making an actual robot?"

I listened as the three chattered excitedly. With this news, the children were going to recover easily from the disappointment of Claire not being an actual robot. Already, Stu and May were proposing what additional skills the robot should have. The remainder of the afternoon quickly slipped by.

After Stu and May had left to return home, I found myself walking Claire back to her farm. The sun was slowly sinking behind the mountains overhead, casting a mellow atmosphere over the town as everyone winded down for the day. The breeze was gentle but carried a forewarning chill. This was going to be one of the last temperate days of the year. The same thought seemed to be on Claire's mind as her pace was more leisurely than usual.

Clearing my throat, I awkwardly broke the comfortable silence between us. "I have a confession to make."

My companion turned to me and tilted her head.

My face heated up in embarrassment as I admitted, "For the longest time, I thought that you were a robot." My confession was met with silence. Afraid to look over at my companion, I stared at the ground with my heart pounding loudly in my chest.

We walked a few more steps before Claire spoke. "At first, I wasn't sure but, over time, I realized that you were serious about my joke. I'm sorry. I should have come clean at that point but wasn't sure how to tell you..." The blonde sounded really mortified as she said the last part.

I felt a mixture of relief, surprise, and amusement. The amusement quickly overpowered all the other emotions. I shook my head and smiled, imagining Claire trying to figure out how to tell a grown man that she wasn't a robot. "We did have a lot of fun when I assumed that you were a robot."

Claire crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm fun even when people don't think that I'm a robot." Despite her offended tone of voice, Claire's expression was less confident.

I understood what she was worried about but disagreed with the idea that her being a robot was a large part of our relationship. Admittedly, it was what moved me to approach her but I did not become her friend because she was a robot. "You are still just as fun. And I hope to spend many more fun days with you."

"Me too." Claire said softly.

The atmosphere between us shifted, becoming more intimate. Thoughts of the future and regrets from the past swirled in my head, along with the pressure to decide. The words were on the tip of my tongue but I could not say them.

Claire was the first to break the silence. "I really do regret not clarifying sooner. Despite your assurances that things are the same, I can see hesitation in your actions and words."

My heart sped up and worry filled me. "I-it's not that. I just…" I couldn't allow Claire to misunderstand. I inhaled deeply and turned to look at the blonde. "Long ago, I left home to find myself. I did not achieve enlightenment and the trip ended in absolute failure. I am the same floundering person I was back then. I over analyze things and want to explore every angle before making a decision because… I'm afraid that I will make the wrong choice."

Claire listened carefully and I wondered if she knew what I was trying to convey. I wasn't sure myself. My incomplete thoughts were just slipping out of me.

"But I know that sometimes, taking too long to decide is the wrong choice as well." I momentarily closed my eyes. My heart ached, reaching for something that was no longer in my grasp. I had promised myself not to repeat that mistake again. "What I do know is that to me, you are the sun: you chase away the dark and warm the heart that I thought was frozen. I think about you when you're away, I look forward to seeing you each day, I enjoy listening to your opinions, and I'm always learning how to be a better person when I'm with you."

"The answer seems pretty clear to me," the blonde said lightly. Claire stopped and turned to me with a firm gaze. "Robots do not hesitate when deciding. They take in inputs and formulate a response."

Strong hands gripped my shoulder, pulling me close. Leaning up, Claire pressed her forehead against mine and looked searchingly into my eyes. I tried to pull back at the surprisingly warm contact but the farmer's grip was firm. I had nowhere to run or hide. Her warm breath brushed against my flushed skin.

"Claire…" This close to her, it was easy to recognize the warm gentleness and deep affection she felt towards me reflected in her eyes. The echoed feelings in my heart resonated as I drowned in her gaze.

The blonde's voice was softer than usual when she spoke. "To me, you are like the summer sky: you are accepting no matter what I do or say, you show me the vastness of the world, and comfort me with warmth when I am tired."

My heart swelled upon hearing her words –so much that I thought it would burst. The scene before me felt like a long sought out dream that I never thought would materialize. Yet, as I recalled the moments leading up to this, the conclusion seemed natural. My unspoken but desired choice seemed natural. Despite the heat muddling my mind, I had a clear idea of what I wanted and will work arduously to keep.

"Do you have your answer?" Claire whispered.

I drew Claire to my chest with an iron tight grip. Despite her hardy exterior, the farmer was accommodatingly soft and warm. Smiling, I buried my nose into her golden hair and breathed in the familiar scent of apples. With unrestrained happiness, I answered, "I do."


End file.
